Big game. Rangers win it and to me I think 2nd in the Met is almost assured. No Hank and no M. Staal (back spasms). Alain Vigneault said that Henrik Lundqvist is "on the right track" but still day to day with neck pain. Nash also skated this AM for the 3rd straight day. He is getting closer. Have to think he is back within 2 weeks, and will play the final 3 weeks of the season +/-, which should be more than enough for him to get comfortable with Staal. Not sure which way this game will go with Hank, Marc, and Nash all out. We'll see...
It's not that big of a game. At this point the Rangers should worry about just getting in. I doesn't matter who they play in the first round. I'd rather they play the Craps in the first round than round two or three if they get that far and the Craps have momentum.
The Islanders will come out and do what they always do. Play the Rangers like it's game 7 of the finals. Then, go on and lose 5 out of their next 7 games when they have a pro-longed let down.
I'm with you there dump. The Isles would sell their soles to beat the Rangers. That is why if we do play in round 1, and right now there's a VERY strong chance that happens, that would be a war of a series and potentially would weaken the winner for the Caps series in round 2.
Someone get AV more gum to chew on. He clearly needs another excuse as to why Scott Arneil is still on this coaching staff and why he can't adjust or adapt his system against a good forechecking team. Guy just gets out coached. Like I've said all year, want to beat the Rangers? Forecheck and take away the boards. Rangers don't know how to forecheck, and AV continues to coach his forwards to bail on the defensive zone as soon as a dman touched the puck. But hey, we're still in second and we're getting blown out of our building by the team we're likely to face in the first round. Nothing to worry about though.
Great start. They are probably tired but this will be a very tough 1st round matchup. The Rangers slow defense has big problems with them.
Bad start only good thing is their 52 minutes left. Unfortunately for the isles also. About as bad a start as I've seen in awhile
That's more of a realistic approach then yours chuck. You remind me of Kevin Bacon in Animal House chuck. "REMAIN CALM!!! ALL IS WELL!!!!" it's all good. That's your approach to life. Wish I could be as blindly optimistic as you and go through life like an ostrich with my head buried in the sand.
Look at that. Forecheck and goal. It's not fucking rocket science. AV needs to get it through to this team that they're NOT a creative team. They need to play a gritty game and get ugly goals scored off of forechecking.
Welcome back 94. I know we'll see you when the Rangers lose/trail. Love it.... Team has the 2nd most points in the East. HEAD IN THE SAND...LOL.
Awful start. Played better as the period went on. Who knows how this will end up. This would be a heck of a playoff series. Total coin flip. Staal looked really good. Hopefully this will be the start of him being a big factor for us down the stretch and in the playoffs. We'll see about that.
Doesn't look good for Dylan, especially given his past history of injuries. As for our PK, I think the issue is in the past we've played a passive box kill, whereas this year we are playing a diamond kill and that leaves A LOT more openings in front, which is why we're giving up so many chances to guys wide open in front.
